1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible frame including a cloth or a canvas-like top and fasteners for use with a watercraft. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a collapsible frame for a Bimini sun top in use on a pontoon boat.
2. Description of Prior Art
Collapsible boat frames including a canvas-like top protecting the occupants of the boat from inclement weather and providing shade from the sun are well known in the art. Often times, these frames are made from a light but strong material, such as aluminum, in order to add as little weight to the boat as possible, but still provide sufficient strength to ensure that the top does not buckle or collapse in strong winds or heavy seas. Typically, these frames are designed to be first retained in a closed position, providing very little to no cover over the occupants of the boat, while occupying very little deck or storage space. Generally, this is accomplished by supporting the frame along the sides of the boat. When protection is desired, the frame may be opened into a second position, stretching the canvas covering, over a substantial portion of the deck. Typically, these frames may also be arranged in a third position for long-term storage or land transport of the boat. This third position is a more secure location designed to reduce drag on the cover, thereby increasing the life of the canvas, and to ensure the cover is maintained at a height level below low tree branches and power lines, as the boat rolls upon the trailer.
One of the major limitations of the collapsible Bimini tops and frames known in the prior art is the inclusion of removable retaining members, which may be lost or misplaced when the collapsible frame is being moved from one of the above-described positions to another, or can simply be lost due to vibration as is common to fasteners. U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,752 granted to Menne, Jr., et al., discloses a Bimini Sun Top Frame for a Pontoon Boat. When in the open position, the frame disclosed therein is attached to the rails of the pontoon boat, in three different positions, by either stainless steel screws or bolts, which must be removed if the position of the frame is to change. These stainless steel pieces may be easily misplaced, or lost over the side of the boat becoming unrecoverable and thereby requiring replacement of the lost articles. Further, the use of screws and bolts require the use of tools, such as screw drivers, in order to free the frame from its connection to the deck rails, and allowing rearrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,104 granted to Pollen discloses a Bimini Cover for a Deck of a Watercraft. This cover, when in the open position, is in contact with the frame rails of the pontoon boat in two positions. In order to rearrange the positioning, a pin must be removed and set aside and a spring/pin combination must be depressed. This represents a complicated means for changing the positioning of the cover, during which an opportunity for misplacement of the pin presents itself, thereby rendering the Bimini top useless until a replacement pin can be located.
Another known shortcoming to the existing covers is that when in the secured position for towing, the collapsed frame bounces during transport, and often times mars the covering, the seat covers on which it rests, or other articles are dented or scratched due to the vibrating frame.
It is an object of the invention to provide a more easily operable frame for a cover top of a boat or similar article. It is a further object of the present invention to employ a collapsible frame for use on a watercraft, which may be arranged in a storage position, a closed transport position, and an open position providing protection to the occupants of the watercraft. Further, rearrangement of the frame may be accomplished without need for removable parts, such as screws, bolts and the like.
It is another object of the invention to ensure that when arranged in the storage position, the frame and cover remain secure and do not bounce or damage either the side frame rails or the deck of the boat.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a Bimini top frame including latching members, thereby allowing the frame to be fixed to a bracket, permanently mounted to either the deck of the boat or the top frame rails of the pontoon boat. The latching members envelop smooth pins joined to the brackets with the raised lip portion of the latching member ensuring the latching members stay engaged with the pins, thereby securing the frame to the frame rails of the pontoon boat. These latching members may be disengaged from the bracket assembly through the application of a light force upon a lever arm causing movement of the raised lip. As such, rearrangement of the frame is accomplished without a need for tools or removable components.
The frame includes a plurality of ribs with grooves that complement a winged portion of the latching member. This winged portion of the latching member includes a pair of extended walls having ribs. These walls are flexible but also sufficiently resilient, such that this portion of the latching member may be joined with any portion of the frame having grooves on the surface. The wings of the latching member are able to flex a sufficient distance such that the ribs located on the inner surface of the walls snap into the grooves of the frame. Although the wings are sufficiently resilient ensuring the latching member will stay attached to the frame during normal use, the side walls of the latching member have adequate flexibility such that a normal lifting force applied by a user will disengage the latching member from the frame. Due to the use of these latching members, no removable pins, bolts, screws or the like are needed to employ the Bimini top of the present invention. This eliminates the requirement of employing tools to rearrange the top from one position to another and eliminates the possibility of misplacing removable components when switching the top from one position to another.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a Bimini top which rests above the frame rails during transport, ensuring the top does not come into contact with the frame rails and preventing damage to both the top and the frame rails. This is accomplished by including a smaller frame portion with two latching members having both the notched portion and the flexible wings. This smaller frame provides support to the frame when arranged in the storage position by latching onto a pin/bracket assembly attached to the frame rails above the deck so that the Bimini frame remains located just above the frame rails.